Sounds like everyone felt very good over the weekend with their 11 miles. I've noticed a confidence in everyone after completing this past long run - we're not far off from the half marathon distance. Nice work! Keep those long ones slow and you should continue to feel great as you finish them.
Tomorrow we'll do interval training again with 12 400 meter up tempo intervals, followed by 12 200 meter slow jogs (alternating). For those not running with the group tomorrow, please make sure you jog an easy pace for at least a half mile (preferable a full mile) as a warm up before your first 400. Below is a little more information on the benefits of doing 400 meter up tempo intervals.
Thursday wiill be a steady state 45 minute run, then we're bumping up to 12 miles for the weekend. Leigh will cordinate when and where we meet this weekend.
Here’s this week’s schedule:
Monday – Boot Camp or XT
Tuesday - 12 x 400
Wednesday - Boot Camp or XT
Thursday - Run 45 min
Friday - Boot Camp or XT
Saturday - Rest
Sunday – 11 Miles Slow and Easy
Physiological Benefits to Interval Training
Interval training allows for several significant physiological responses at maximum capacity. Your heart rate and VO2 (oxygen consumption) reach maximum. Your effort is very hard and lactate elevates higher and higher. Breathing, as you certainly know, is at full capacity.
There are two key adaptations that occur with interval training. The first is neuromuscular. Research has found that during repeat intervals, groups of individual muscle fibers become more coordinated in their "firing" (contracting) so that you can achieve greater power and speed. Likewise, various muscle groups (like the quadriceps, for example) get "in sync" with each other resulting in faster turnover and a smoother stride. Essentially, the body becomes more efficient and coordinated at turning your legs over very fast, allowing your running economy to improve.
The second adaptation affects the bicarbonate buffering system. Stay with me here, I promise this will make sense. Since up-tempo interval training creates large accumulations of lactic acid, these sessions challenge the body's ability to remove it. With repeated exposure to elevated lactate levels, the body improves its ability to quickly remove it. (Excessive lactic acid is that feeling when the body wants to shut down and stop moving – increasing the lactic threshold offers enhanced speed and endurance benefits).
You feel these adaptations (improved neuromuscular function and lactic acid buffering) as a smoother, less jerky stride when running at full speed. You start to feel smooth and powerful in your stride. Interval training greatly impacts the torso of the body as you begin to run not just with your legs but to generate power through your core – the stomach, pelvis and hips.
Many elite runners discover when the incorporate interval training into their running they are less likely to be injured, can tolerate speed and stamina training better, in addition to having a stronger performance at the end of long distance events.
See many of you in the morning at the track...
Your friend in fitness, Brian Calkins
HealthStyle Fitness, Inc. 4325 Red Bank Rd Cincinnati, OH 45227 513-407-4665 www.CincinnatiFitness.com
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